Scharffen Berger – Bittersweet 70%

Scharffen Berger’s standard bittersweeet is exactly that: standard. Nothing really sets it apart from the crowd and minor flaws only drag it down a bit more to merely average status. Still, a good effort and a good chocolate overall that’s worth trying.

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Reviews

Hans-Peter Rot: 10-Oct-2009

SCORES

Score/10

Weight

Aroma:

10%

Look/snap:

5%

Taste:

35%

Melt:

5%

Length:

15%

Opinion:

30%

Total/100:

100%

INFO

Best before:

Batch num:

Source:

Supplied by:

Aroma can be smelled from several feet away. IĂ˘â‚¬â„˘d say itĂ˘â‚¬â„˘s got a spunky character, gushing redness in heavy doses, mainly tart cherries and grapes with a countering ash as well, but unlike similar bars, it works quite well, melding seamlessly with the fruit so the two components become one. The balance, in other words, is executed in good taste.

Tasting a lot like a cherry cordial and then simply cherries, the flavor is, you guessed it, an explosion of cherries, with some burnt notes occasionally thatĂ˘â‚¬â€ťlike the aromaĂ˘â‚¬â€ťblend in with the fruit seamlessly. ThereĂ˘â‚¬â„˘s also a moderate acidity that makes the flavor pleasantly sharp, not prickling or assertive, just tart enough to leave your mouth watering once the chocolate is gone.

Texture is thick and smooth somewhat like peanut butter but not too bad, actually, probably slightly below average, which in fact is exactly how I feel about this chocolate in generalĂ˘â‚¬â€ťitĂ˘â‚¬â„˘s a good effort but not a world-beater. It reminds me of LindtĂ˘â‚¬â„˘s Excellence 70% but not nearly as good, falling short on the intensity contained therein, as well as possessing that burnt quality that still suggests careless roasting regardless of how well blended in it is. So, while it could be better, it could also be much worse. Quite simply, it is what it is: an average chocolate.